Requesting the Joint Committee on Government and Finance to study
allowing health care providers to prescribe an antibiotic for
the sexual partner or partners of a patient who presents with
a sexually transmitted disease without first conducting an
examination of the partner or partners.

Whereas, Sexually transmitted diseases are a serious public
health concern in West Virginia; and

Whereas, The practice of prescribing antibiotics to a
patient’s sexual partner without a medical examination is called
expedited partner therapy; and

Whereas, The logic behind expedited partner therapy is that if
the partner is not treated simultaneously with the patient that the
course of treatment for the patient will have little or no effect;
and

Whereas, Both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists support
expedited partner therapy as a means to treat and control certain
sexually transmitted diseases; and

Whereas, An assessment of the legal status of expedited
partner therapy by the Center for Law and the Public’s Health and
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that three-fourths of states or territories either expressly permit expedited
partner therapy or do not expressly prohibit the practice;
therefore, be it

Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:

That the Joint Committee on Government and Finance is hereby
requested to study allowing health care providers to prescribe an
antibiotic for the sexual partner or partners of a patient who
presents with a sexually transmitted disease without first
conducting an examination of the partner or partners; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the Joint Committee on Government and
Finance report to the regular session of the Legislature, 2013, on
its findings, conclusions and recommendations, together with drafts
of any legislation necessary to effectuate its recommendations;
and, be it

Further Resolved, That the expenses necessary to conduct this
study, to prepare a report and to draft necessary legislation be
paid from legislative appropriations to the Joint Committee on
Government and Finance.